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This painting comes from a personal place. It stems from my experience with what I perceive as masculinity (that strong, contained, self-reliant image) which often becomes an invisible prison. I wanted to portray that classic archetype of the hardened man, trapped in his own gestures, habits, and vices. The central figure, crouched and lighting a cigarette, represents that moment of ritualized solitude, almost spiritual in nature, where poison becomes comfort.
The title, Pretty Little Poison, refers to that addictive beauty that can take many forms: a painful relationship, a quiet addiction, or even the very idea of what a man should be. Everything surrounding the character (the circles, the smoke, the almost organic textures) represents that toxicity wrapping around and penetrating him. The sharp forms pointing at him from the upper corner evoke pressure, judgment, or invisible wounds.
While there are symbolic elements, this piece is also an emotional self-portrait. It’s not just a stereotypical cowboy ; it’s me, in certain moments: seeking relief, caught in patterns that pulled me away from who I really am. I wanted to paint what seduces and destroys at the same time.
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